Data-driven Laboratory Archives - INTERACTIVE SOFTWARE

Why your lab is wasting 50% of its time (and how to fix it)

Sharon Williams — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 15:00:28 +0000

Labs don’t waste time because scientists and technicians are slow. They waste time because data is slow. In most laboratories, whether clinical, research, environmental, food, or industrial testing, the real bottleneck isn’t the science. It’s the way information moves through the lab. Or more accurately: The way it doesn’t. Every sample creates a chain of data: IDs, labels, tests, results, QC checks, instrument outputs, approvals, reports, compliance records and audit trails. If that data flow is fragmented, manual, or duplicated across systems, the lab ends up spending huge amounts of time doing ‘work about work’. And that’s how labs quietly lose up to half their working hours, not to testing, but to re-entering data, searching for information, resolving errors, redoing work, chasing approvals, manually compiling reports, recovering missing context etc. This list is endless. In short, labs spend too much time on manual admin, documentation, and inefficient workflows instead of actual lab work. If your lab feels busy but not productive, there’s a good chance you’re not short on effort, you are short on data efficiency. So where does time get lost, and what do efficient labs do differently? The real bottleneck in most labs isn’t testing Lab work is […]

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5 Signs it’s Time to Ditch the Spreadsheets and Invest in a LIMS

Sharon Williams — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 12:53:33 +0000

Everyone loves a spreadsheet. It’s easy to add data in to as well as update. In fact, they work acceptably well – up to a point. But when they do fail the impact can be catastrophic with data being truncated, inaccurate or not even being saved. What’s worse is that you might not notice this until weeks later. Wouldn’t it be great if you could do something before you reach that point? Here’s 5 signs that it might be time to ditch the spreadsheets and invest in a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) or sample management system. 1. The number of samples you’re processing is increasing Manually entering data in a spreadsheet for tens of samples is very different to adding data for thousands, or even tens of thousands, of samples. It’s not just the quality of your data that starts to suffer as the numbers increase. It’s also questionable – as well as impossible to track – whether you’re actually capturing all your samples. Also, spreadsheets have a limit – after which it’s anyone guess as to whether your data is being saved or truncated. When you start managing and processing samples at scale software such as a LIMS […]

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5 Reasons Why Data Quality Matters in the Lab

Sharon Williams — Thu, 01 Oct 2020 15:11:21 +0000

Many laboratories invest in and use state of the art equipment to process and analyse samples. These highly sophisticated pieces of kit can efficiently handle large volumes of samples. They can complete very intricate – as well as repetitive – processes, saving you valuable time. Plus, their accuracy can help improve quality in your lab operations. What’s more, they can carry out tasks that you just couldn’t do manually. Although they’re expensive you can easily see their worth. But, ultimately, the most important thing they deliver is information. So, why would you risk impacting the quality of that information by manually re-entering it into a spreadsheet or legacy database? When assessing lab data quality it’s not just about its accuracy but also its integrity, completeness, auditability, formatting, consistency and standardisation. Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS) or off-the-shelf Sample Management software can help you manage and improve the quality of your data. But investing in these systems is often given a lower priority than other lab equipment. Here’s 5 reasons why data quality matters in the lab and why you may want to consider a system to support your data management activities. 1. Making sure you use those valuable samples You […]

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Why Your Lab Data is Essential in Digital Transformation

Sharon Williams — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 17:32:44 +0000

Data – you can’t work with it and you definitely can’t work without it. Today’s labs generate large volumes of data. You can spend hours entering information and even longer trying to find and decipher it. Working with data is seen by many as a necessary evil – something that’s just part of the job. Which is why for many labs – large and small – spreadsheets are still their primary data management tool. But data is the lifeblood of every laboratory and an essential component of digital transformation. Every day you’re making decisions based on your data – or lack of it (usually referred to as ‘gut feel’). As a result, your data can cost you money or help you save it depending on its quality and how you use it. This is no different when it comes to defining your digital transformation strategy. Contrary to what many may believe, digital transformation isn’t just about buying the latest equipment and software or moving all your systems to the cloud. That’s only a small part of it. It’s about reviewing your processes and how you work and then leveraging technology to help you make improvements that will increase your efficiency, […]

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Using a LIMS to Remove Data Silos in Your Lab and Biobank

Sharon Williams — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 08:00:06 +0000

A modern laboratory information management system (LIMS) helps you remove data silos in your Biobank and lab. Consolidating your data into one centralised system. As a result, you can reduce administrative overheads, improve quality, increase efficiency and protect sensitive information. When it comes to working with a spreadsheet a common problem is making sure everyone is adding information to it in the same way. Another is sticking to just the one spreadsheet. Invariably what you end up with is everyone maintaining their own spreadsheets, each with their own rules, terminology and classifications. As a result, you have the same samples registered in several spreadsheets. And if you’re using an in-house built system, unless you’re constantly maintaining and updating it to meet new or changing requirements it can quickly become obsolete. Sometimes forcing you to revert back to using spreadsheets again. So now you’re holding data all over the place making it difficult to find anything and impossible to control. A LIMS solves this by standardising and centralising your data into a single system. Centralising your Biobank and lab data into a LIMS to remove data silos One of the key roles of a LIMS is to help centralise your Biobank […]

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Data-driven business? Is your laboratory sample data informing your decisions or is it just sat in spreadsheets or databases?

Sharon Williams — Fri, 05 Apr 2019 14:47:45 +0000

Collecting lab data can seem like a laborious administrative job. It can be perceived as taking up your team’s precious time. Your team, whose time could be better spent carrying out valuable research instead of typing in notes. However, if you are a data driven-business, your laboratory sample data is not just something to be collected, never to be viewed again. Instead, you understand the value of information and how it can be used inform decision-making. The value of laboratory sample management software When thinking about time spent on data capture, you often overlook the time spent on information retrieval. You can create spreadsheets, write post-it notes and notes scribbled on pieces of paper easily. However, using them is another matter. Trying to find your laboratory samples easily or identify what is in a lab freezer or vial can be difficult when manually searching random pieces of paper. Moreover, if the post-it note comes unstuck from the freezer during an inspection – things do not look good. Laboratory Sample Management software can help you quickly and easily capture and organise your data. Consequently, making it much easier to retrieve and use the information. Mandatory prompts, bulk data import and automated […]

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